Multistage compressor for hydrostatic braking systems



c. sAuzEDDE Aug. 25, 19.42. ,293,854

MULTISTAGE COMPRESSOR FOR HYDRos'TATIc BRAKING 4SYSTEMS l Filed April 18, 1940 3 sheets-sheenA 1 Ag. 25, 1942. c. sAuzAl-:DDE 2,293,854

MULTISTAGE COMPRESSOR FOR HYDROSTATIC BRAKING SYSTEMS Filed April 18, V1940 3 sheets-sheet 2 Y# m #1 Q g l\ a@ l 1 v1 Si' n mw a N [Q o 1 Q w w Q lo N N .t n i N b4 FQ A@ A@ O m m RR Q N N h 1 N Srwentor Aug. 25, 1942. c. lsAuzrsDDE MULTISTAGE COMPRESSOR FOR lI'IYIVQROSTA'IIG BRAKING SYSTEMS Filed April 18, 1940 nventor gea/efe Y Patented Aug. 25, 194:2

MULTISTAGE COMPRESSOR Foa HYDRO- srrA'rIc BRAKING SYSTEMS Claude Sauzedde, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Hydrostatic Brake Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,328

3 Claims. '(Cl. (t0-54.6)

This invention relates, in general, to vehicle brakes of the hydrostatic type and, in particular,l

to a new and improved multi-stage compressor therefor.

Heretofore, two-stage compressors for hydrostatic braking systems have, in practically each instance. employed a primary piston and a secondary piston which have been unitarily movable during a portion of the braking operation and relatively movable one to the other during the remainder of said operation. 'I'his unitary movement was supposedly designed to exist during the clearance take-up between the shoes and drums, whereas the relative movement was designed to exist during the actual setting of the brakes. Both of these movements were dependent upon some means or other which would cause the 'primary piston to move with the secondary piston until the shoes engaged the drums, whereupon the back pressure in the system would be so great that said means would automatically become ineffective and the primary piston Awould stop, the secondary piston, however, continuing so as to set the brakes. In other words, the movement of the primary piston was expected to move the system fluid as a whole, by which movement brake clearances would be taken up -quickly and by minimum pedal movement, and the succeeding movement of the secondary piston was expected to perform the actual boosting of the fluid pressure exclusively thereahead ior'setting the brakes, also by minimum pedal movement. However, the aforementioned means usually comprised some sort of a spring arrangement the characteristics of which necessarily had to re' side within predetermined limits, and, in the' event the viscosity of the system fluid became very high due to very low atmospheric temperatures, said. spring arrangement would be unable to cope with this unexpected condition and would fail to move the primary piston. Obviously, the entire braking action would then have to be performed by the secondary piston and the comparatively small quantity of fluid moved thereby,`

such condition necessitating an excessively long pedal stroke and resulting in an extremely sluggish and poor brake application which would be absolutely foreign to the pre-calculated design thereof.

Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved multi-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system which is operable in stricter accordance with predetermined calculations therefor than heretofore.

Another object is to provide a new and improved multi-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system the accurate operation of which is unaffected by extreme conditions of fluid viscosity.

Another object is to provide a new and improved multi-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system which is more elciently operable with lesser need for repair and adjustment over longer periods of use than heretofore.

Another object is to provide a new and improved multi-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system wherein the primary piston thereof is adapted for awlessly performing the operation of clearance take-up at the wheels regardless of the viscosity of the fluid to be moved by said piston during such operation.

Another object is to provide a new and hnproved 'two-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system which comprises fewer parts than structures of a similar type at present well known and in use and which parts cooperate to provide a unit automatically operable with maximum efciency, minimum eiort, regardless of atmospheric temperature or the viscosity of the braking medium, and without need for repair or adjustment.

Another object is to provide a new and improved two-stage compressor for a yhydrostatic braking system wherein provision is made for unitary movement of its two pistons during the performance of both stages thereof, thereby alleviating its dependency for accurate and efficient braking operation upon any but ideal atmospheric conditions.

Another object is to provide a new and improved multi-stage compressor for a hydrostatic braking system wherein the temperature of the braking medium may, if desired, be controlled so as to control its viscosity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from a reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which there are three (3) sheets and wherein:

Figures l, 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views through the compressor and showing, re-

spectively, the parts thereof as they appear when the system is at rest, at the moment when the clearances between the shoes and drums have just been taken up, and when the shoes have been fully set in the drums;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the lines din Fig. 1 with the right half of the master cylinder casting removed therefrom,A said view being partly broken away to illustrate more clearly some of the details of the construction thereat; and

Fig. is a diagrammatic sketch of a parts assembly of a braking system employing the herein described compressor.

Referring to the figures. particularly Fig. 1 which shows the braking system at rest, there is shown a two-stage compressor, generally indicated at I0, which is employable in a hydrostatic braking system, such as is particularly adaptable for avehicle and is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5. In general, compressor III comprises primary and secondary pistons, generally indicated at I2 and I4, respectively, an actuating mechanism for said pistons, generally indicated at |6, and a fluid control mechanism, generally indicated at I6.

An open-ended casing 2|! is employed for housing the primary piston I2 and is internally formed with a cylindrical bore 2| along which said piston is reciprocable, the rear end of said bore being shouldered, as at 22, to provide a limit position of retraction for said piston, and the front end of said bore residing at the front end of said casing. Another open-ended casing 24 is employed for housing the secondary piston I4 and is internally formed with a cylindrical bore 26 of substantially lesser diameter than that of the bore 2|, as is usual in two-stage compressors. In assembly, the two casing sections 2li and 24 are removably joined together, by means such as bolts 26, in end-to-end relationship with their bores 2| and 25 coaxially aligned and, as will be seen, inter-communicated.

Since it is intended that the primary piston I2 be unitarily movable with the secondary piston I4, for the purpose of illustration the former piston is shown formed with a central, internally threaded .boss 26 for threadedLv receiving the threaded, extended, rear end of the latter piston so as to provide for such unitary movement. 'I'his removable connection between the two pistons I2 and I4 also serves to secure thereby and thereat the inner end of an annular, cup-shaped. flexible sealing member 26 which extends from said connection radially outwardly along the working surface of said piston I2 and is secured at its outer end by and at the removable connection between the two casing sections 26 and 24, said sealing member tending to prevent fluid leakage past said piston I2 into the area therebehind. The piston I2 is also shown formed with a rear, central boss 36 for preferably positive connection therewith of the front end of a rod 3| which extends rearwardly through and from the casing section 26 to be positively connected at its outer end to one end of a link 32, the other end of said link being pivotally connected, see Fig. 5, in the usual manner to the usual brake pedal lever 33. In other words, link 32, rod 3|, piston I2 and piston i4 move as a unit upon actuation of lever 33, and the outer end of seal 26 is stationary while its inner end is free to move with said unit, it being appreciated by now that said link, rod and lever comprise the actuating mechanism I6 aforementioned.

The secondary piston I4 is hollow to provide axially elongated chamber 36 which extends from a short distance ahead of the connection between the two pistons I2 and I4 through the entire remainder of the length of said piston I4, said chamber 36 and the chamber ahead of said piston l2 being intercommunicated by means of said piston I4. In the head end of the piston I4 there is press fitted or otherwise securely held to the wall of the chamber 36 the outer section 38 of an elongated spider member which member, as is usual, also includes an inner section 3l, these sections 36 and 30 being, as is usual, integrated but allowing free communication between the rear and front ends thereof so that the portion of the bore 25 residing ahead of said spider 36--36 is communicable with the portion of the chamber 36 residing behind said spider as well as with the chamber residing ahead of the piston I2. The front end of the section 36 of the spider 36-36, which extends ahead of the inner section 36 of said spider, is formed so as to secure and rigidly hold thereat the front end of a cylindrically-shaped, flexible sealing member 40 which extends rearwardly therefrom along the wall of the bore 26 externally of the piston I4 and is rigidly and stationarily held at its rear end to the casing section 24 by means ofl a nut 4I threadedly' carried by and internally of said section 24 at the rear end of said bore 26. This sealing member 46 is preferably formed at its front end with a cylindrically-shaped lip 42 which extends for a short distance ahead of the spider 38-39 along the wall of the bore 25 and is also preferably formed with an annularlyshaped, radially inwardly extending lip 43 which overlies, exclusively, the front end of the outer section 36 of said spider. The exibility of the seal 46 naturally permits stretchability thereof upon movement of the piston I4. and the seal itself prevents fluid passage between said piston and the wall of the bore 26.l

IIhe fluid control mechanism I6 comprises a valve head 46 to which there is integrally con'- nected a pair of oppositely directed stems 41 and 46, said stem 4l extending rearwardly from said head through the inner section 36 of the spider 66-39, and said stem 46 extending forwardly from said head through the inner section 46 of another spider which includes an outer section 50 secured between the front end of the casing section 24 and a removable closure member 6| therefor. The free end of the stem 4'| carries a stop 52, the free end of the stem 46 carries another stop 63, and between the front end of the head 46 and the outer section 66 of the spider 46-66 there is carried a spring 64 which, as is seen in the at rest condition in Fig. 1, tends to support the valve 46-41-46 'with the stop 63 in abutment with the inner section 46 of`said spider 46-66, the stop 62 in spaced relation to the inner section 36 of the spider 36-36, and the head 46 in spaced relation to the resilient seat therefor provided by the lip 43 of the seal 46-42-43. It goes without saying that the stop 62 limits the forward movement of the valve 40-41-46 relatively to the piston I4 and that the stop 53 limits the rearward movementof said valve relatively to said piston. Further discussion of the control I6 appears subsequently.

The closure member 6I for the casing section 24 is provided with outlet means 66 in communication with the bore 25, and to said means there is connected the usual fluid line 61 which is in fluid communication with the usual wheel cylinder units 56 of the braking system, as shown inFig.5. Eachof the units 56,asisusual,has its pressure responsive member (not shown) operatively connected to the free ends of the pivotally supported shoes 53, and these shoes are interconnected by springs 66 which normally annularly spaced apertures 31 formed through 75 tend to hold said shoes in spaced relation to the drum or braking surfaces 6I therefor. Member I is also provided with a normally closed opening 62 which is in communication with the bore 25 and by which the system in its entirety may be charged with braking uid.

In order to compensate for volumetric changes in the system iiuid due to temperature variations, the casing section 24 carries a chamber-forming member 64, vented at 65, in which there is supported a diaphragm 66, said diaphragm subdividing the chamber so as to provide anv air chamber therebelow which is open to the atmosphere by means of said vent and a iiuid chamber thereabove which is open to the bore 25 by means of an aperture 61 formed in the wall of said section 24. It will be noted, by referring to Fig. 1, that the aperture 61 is so positioned as to be disposed inmediately ahead of the lip 42 when the system is totally at rest, so that, upon the least protractile movement of the piston unit I2-I4, the iiuid chamber above the diaphragm 66 will be closed off from the bore 25.

It may be desired, inthe event of a very cold spell in the weather, to have provided means whereby the uid in the system may be heated so as to decrease its viscosity to a value whereat ready owability thereof is assured. To this end, a hollow, annular body 10 of heat conductive material, such as aluminum, is arranged in telescopic relationship with the rear end of the piston I4 directly ahead of the piston I2 and is secured at its periphery to and between the casing sections and 24 by means of the bolts 26. This body 1.0 serves to diminish the space ahead of the piston I2 without interfering with the displacement of fluid therefrom through the apertures 31, thereby reducing the quantity of uid necessary in the system, and it also serves to carry, internally thereof, a heating element 1I which is electrically connected, by means of conduits 12 which lead outwardly fromsaid body, to the electrical system (not shown) ofthe vehicle and controlled in any well known and desirable manner.

As will be understood when the action of the valve 46-41-48 is described, the unitary nature of the pistons I2 and I4 necessitates the provision of means for accommodating the fluid displaced by said piston I2 upon the closing of said valve. To this end, the casing section 24 is so formed at-its rear end as to provide an annular air chamber 13 when said casing section and the casing section 20 have been-assembled together, said chamber surrounding the nut 4I and 4residing ahead of an annular, imperforated, nexible diaphragm 14 which resides in abutting engagement with the front face of an annular, per- Iorated, inflexible plate or wall member 15. The

ing or stretching of the diaphragm. 14 in a single direction which is the direction of protraction of the piston unit I2- I4.

One purpose of the air chamber 13 is to entertain or accommodate the-bulging of the diaphragm 14 thereinto due .to the displacement of the fluid ahead of the piston I2 by said piston. Another purpose of the air chamber 13 is to govern the time this bulgingl is to take place. In other words, the movement of the primary and larger piston I2 is for the purpose of bodily moving the nuid as quickly and with as shortva pedal stroke as possible to take up clearances be..

tween the shoes 59 and braking surfaces 6I be-4 fore the actual boosting effect of the secondary and smaller piston I4 comes into play (which occurs when the back pressure in the line closes the valve 46-41-48) and for that reason bulging of the diaphragm 14 should be prevented by the pressure in the chamber 13 as long as there is any shoe-drum clearance, thisobviously eliminating waste movement of said piston I2. Therefore, the casing section 24 is formed with an inlet 11 leading to the air chamber 13 and in,

this inlet there is provided a check valve 18 which is preferably of the type for controlling air ow in both directions therepast. So, knowing the total pressure necessary to overcome the springs 54 and 60 and the inevitable resistance to fluid flow through the system, the inlet 115 may be connected to a source of air pressure (not shown) and the chamber 13 charged to a similar pressure or one slightly thereabove so that there will be no deflection of the diaphragm '14, notwithstanding the fluid pressure exerted thereupon by the primary piston I2, until the valve 46-41-48 closes upon the actual engagement of the shoes 59 and their respective rotating braking surfaces 6I.

During the charging of the system with fluid it may be desired to bleed the air therefrom, and to this end there is provided a normally closed bleeder opening 19 which is formed in the body member 10 and is in communication with the chamber ahead of the piston I2.`

Assuming the system has been properly filled A with braking fluid and the air chamber 13 properly charged the Vat rest condition thereof will outer ends of both the diaphragm 14 and the v Wall member 15 reside stationarily against cooperating shoulders provided therefor in the casing section 24 and body member 10, and the inner ends thereof are stationarily held in place by means of a nut 16 threadedly carried on the rear end of the nut 4I and tightened against said Wall member to hold the latter against said diaphragm and said diaphragm against a shoulder provided therefor in said nut 4I. In other -Words, the air chamber 'I3 is sealed from the chamber residing ahead of the piston I2 by means of the diaphragm 14 but is subjected to the pressure in the latter chamber by means of the perforations in the wall member 15 and the flexibility of said diaphragm. Furthermore, the inflexibility of the wall member 15 limits the bulgfirst be considered, by referring to Fig. 1. In this i-lgure, the piston I2 is in abutment with the shoulder 22, and the piston I4 is in such position that the lip 42 of the seal 4I) carried by said piston I4 is immediately behind the aperture 61, exposing the uuid-chamber defined by the diaphragm 66 to the bore 25 and the remainder ofthe uid system. There is no material pressure being exerted by the spring 54 on the valve head 46, and said head is off its seat 43, the stop 52 is oi its seat 3'9, and the stop 53 is on its seat 49. There is no deflection of the diaphragm 14 because, though the air pressure in the chamber 13 is greater than the liquid pressure in the chamber ahead of the piston I2, the

rigidity and inflexibility of the wall member 15 prevent such deflection.

Now assume that pressure is applied to the pedal 33. The pistons I2 and I4 will move unitarily and the fluid chamber defined by the diaphragm 66 will be cut olf from the rest of the fluid system by the protraction of the lip 42 past the aperture 61, thus subjecting the system fluid exclusive of that in said chamber to the pressures established by the protraction of said pistons. Until the shoes 59 engage their respective drum surfaces 6I, the pressure created by the advance of the piston l2 will be transmitted through the apertures 31, chamber 3i, spider 39, open valve IB-I'l-ll, spider IS-Sl, outlet Si, and line S1, to the wheel cylinders Sl; this pressure will be insuilicient to deflect the diaphragm 1l, because of the air pressure in chamber 13, but will be greater than the combined pressures of the springs 5l and il, thus accounting for the open condition of the valve --ll-IB as long as clearances exist at the wheel brakes. In other words, during this clearance take-up stage the total pressure ahead of the valve head 4S will be less than the liquid pressure therebehind, so that the valve "-41- Il will have substantially unitary movement with the piston Il, thereby remaining open or even enjoying a greater spacing fromv its seat 43, the stop 52 limiting this increase in opening, however. It will be seen, then, that the primary piston I2, which quickly moves the bulk of the system fluid for taking up clearances at the wheel brakes with a minimum pedal stroke, is positive in its movement because it is integral with the rod 3l and, therefore, is not ailected in its operation by heretofore deleterious eilects caused by said fluid being highly viscous. Furthermore. no power is lost into the chamber 13 because the air pressure therein is suillcient to prevent it.

When the clearances between the shoes 59 and their respective braking surfaces il have been just reduced to zero, the back pressure ahead of the valve head 46 will be on the verge of becoming greater than the liquid pressure therebehind, the valve 46-41-48, as a result, being ready to close and to isolate the portion of the system fluid residing ahead of said head from the portion of the system fluid residing behind said head. At this exact moment of reduction to zero of the brake clearances, the pressures on either side of the diaphragm 1l will be substantially equal and there will be, therefore, no deflection thereof. These conditions are shown in Fig. 2. On the other hand, if the compresser I0, having its parts positioned as in Pedal pressure added to the system immediately following the closing of the valve IB-Ileffectuates unitary movement of the pistons I2 and Il and said valve, and the resulting pressures created by the movement of said pistons are independent of each other and absolutely non-additive, as distinguished from the pressures created thereby prior to the closing of said valve. This pressure created by the movement of the piston Il is transmitted through the line 51 to the cylinders 5l and is employed exclusively in the boosting of the pressure thereat to set the brakes, this being accomplished by a minimum pedal movement following said valve closing; on the other hand, the pressure created by the movement of the piston l2 is transmitted through the periorations in the wall or plate 15, causing dellection of the diaphragm 1I into the air chamber 13 and such deilection thereby representing absorption of the back pressure which would otherwise be created by the movement of said piston I2 and which would tax the operators efforts to set the brakes 'I'hese conditions are shown in Fig. 3. Y

Upon brake release, the pistons l2 and ll and the closed valve l-l'lretract unitarily until the pressure behind the head becomes' greater than that thereahead (which occurs approximately at the time the stop il reaches its seat lli', whereupon said valve opens and said pistons continue their retraction until said piston l2 reaches its stop 22. In the interim, when the pressure in the chamber ahead of the piston l2 becomes less than that in the chamber 13, the diaphragm 14 returns to its normal position of rest against the plate or wall 15. Thereafter, the system is ready for another brake application.

Although the invention has been described with some detail it is not intended that such description is to be definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. 'I'he right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of Darts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What I claim is: l. An actuating mechanism for a hydrostatic braking system comprising, a housing dening a pair of fluid cylinders having diilerent diameters and disposed in end-to-end relationship and intercommunicated, said housing being formed with an outlet for the smaller cylinder, piston means having a section disposed within the larger cylinder and another section rigidly connected to said mst-named section and disposed within said smaller cylinder, said second-named piston section being hollow throughout its length and formed at it; rear end with aperture means operable for continually communicating the interior of said second-named piston section with the portion of said larger cylinder ahead of said nrst-named piston section, movable valve means arranged at the front end of said second-named piston section and operable during protraction of said piston means for communicating both of said sections with said outlet for a predetermined period and for thereafter communicating only said second-named section with said outlet upon continued protraction of said piston means, a sleeve fixedly carried by said housing in contact and telescopic relation with the external wall surface of said second-named piston section ahead of said aperture means, an annular, imperforated diaphragm of ilexible material secured at its outer periphery to said housing and at its inner periphery to said sleeve and deflning a closed chamber thereahead, means consisting of a quantity of compresaible iiuidfin said chamber and effective in combination with said diaphragm to provide a pressure capable of resisting change in volume of said iluid during said period but for yielding to volume change during said continued protraction, and an annular, perforated diaphragm of inflexible material secured similarly as said first-named diaphragm and in abutment with the rear face thereof.

2. An actuating mechanism for a hydrostatic braln'ng system comprising, a housing deilning a pair of uid cylinders having d iierent diameters and disposed in end-to-end relationship and intercommunicated, said housing being formed with an outlet for the smaller cylinder, piston means having a section disposed within the larger cylinder and another section rigidly connected to said first-named section and disposed within said smaller cylinder, said second-named piston section being hollow throughout its length and formed at its rear end with aperture means operable for continually communicating the interior of said second-named piston section with the rst-named piston section, movable valve means arranged at the front end of said second-named piston section and operable during protraction of said piston means for communicating both of said sections withsaid outlet for a predetermined period and for thereafter communicating only said second-named section with said outlet upon continued protraction of said piston means, a sleeve xedly carried by said housing in contact and telescopic relation with the external wall surface of said second-named piston section ahead gf said aperture means, an annular, imperforated diaphragm of flexible material secured at its outer periphery to said housing and at its inner periphery to said sleeve and dening a closed chamber thereahead, means consisting of a quantity of compressible iiuid in said chamber and eiiective in combination with said diaphragm to provide a pressure capable of resisting change in volume of said uid during said period but for yielding to volume change during said continued protraction, and means carried within said cylinder portion for selectively changing the temperature of the braking uid therewithin.

3. An actuating mechanism for a hydrostatic braking system comprising, a housing dening a pair of fluid cylinders having dierent diameters and disposed in end-to-end relationship and intercommunicated, said housing being formed with an outlet for the smaller cylinder, piston means having a section disposed within the larger cylinder and another section rigidly connected to said rst-named section and disposed within said smaller cylinder, said second-named piston section being hollow throughout its length and formed at its rear end with aperture means operable for continually communicating the interior of said second-named piston section with the portion of said larger cylinder ahead of said firstnamed piston section, movable'valve means arranged at the front end of said second-named piston section and operable during protraction of said piston means for communicating both of said sections with said outlet for a predetermined period and for thereafter communicating only said second-named section with said outlet upon continued protraction of said piston means, a sleeve tlxedly carried by said housing in contact and telescopic relation with the external wall surface of said second-named piston section ahead of said aperture means, an annular, imperforated diaphragm vof flexible -material secured at its outer periphery to said housing and at its inner periphery to said sleeve and dening a closed chamber thereahead, means consisting of a quantity of compressible uid in said chamber and effective in combination with said diaphragm toprovide a pressure capable of resisting change in volume of said iiuid during said period but for yielding to volume change during said continued protraction, means carried Within said cylinder portion for selectively changing the temperature of the braking fluid therewithin, and an annular, perforated diaphragm of inexible' material secured similarly as said firstnamed diaphragm and in abutment with the rear face thereof.

CLAUDE SAUZEDDE. 

